86 Best Sights in Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic Coast, Germany

The triangular University Square, commemorating the founding of one of northern Europe's oldest universities here in 1419, is home to Rostock University's Italian Renaissance–style main building, finished in 1867.

The twin lakes of the Binnenalster (Inner Alster) and Aussenalster (Outer Alster) provide Hamburg with some of its most celebrated vistas. The two lakes meet at the Lombard and Kennedy bridges. The boat landing at Jungfernstieg, below the Alsterpavillon, is the starting point for lake and canal cruises. Small sailboats and rowboats, rented from yards on the shores of the Alster, are very much a part of the summer scene.

Every Hamburger dreams of living within sight of the Alster, but only the wealthiest can afford it. Those that can't still have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the waterfront, however, and the outer Alster is ringed by 7 km (4½ miles) of tree-lined public pathways.  Popular among joggers, these paths are also a lovely place for a stroll.

Almost 5 million bricks went into the construction of this marvelous building at the heart of the Kontorhausviertel, a collection of handsome office buildings that were built in the 1920–40s and now, together with the nearby Speicherstadt, form a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in a brick expressionist style in 1924 for expat Brit Henry Brarens Sloman, who emigrated to Chile from Hamburg as a young man, made a considerable fortune trading saltpeter and returned to the city to make his mark, the Chilehaus stands 10 stories high and its impressive, jutting tip resembles the prow of a ship. Still housing business offices, it also counts a number of small cafés, shops, and a bar as residents, and is well worth a visit, particularly at night when illuminated.

You don’t need to be a model-railroad enthusiast or a 10-year-old to be blown away by the sheer scale and attention to detail of the Miniatur Wunderland. The largest model railroad in the world features almost 17,000 square feet of little trains click-clacking their way through wonderfully faithful miniature replicas of Hamburg itself as well as foreign towns in Switzerland, Austria, the United States, Italy, Scandinavia, and South America; a new Monaco section was added in 2024. Planes land at a little airport; every 15 minutes, day turns into night, and hundreds of thousands of LED lights illuminate the trains, buildings, and streets. The latest attraction is Yullbee Wunderland, when visitors, who are shrunk down as a small model figure on a scale of 1:87 thanks to the latest VR technology, can experience Wunderland from the perspective of the miniature inhabitants. Unsurprisingly, it's one of Hamburg's most popular attractions, so it's best to book ahead. If you do have to wait, there are free drinks and ice cream for children, and videos to watch ease the pain. Hours are extended on some Tuesdays and weekends.

Proof of Lübeck's former position as the golden queen of the Hanseatic League is found at every step in the Altstadt, which contains more 13th- to 15th-century buildings than all other large northern German cities combined. This fact has earned the Altstadt a place on UNESCO's register of the world's greatest cultural and natural treasures.

The oldest residential area in the Old Town of Hamburg now consists of lavishly restored houses from the 17th through the 19th century. Many of the original, 14th-century houses on Deichstrasse were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1842, which broke out in No. 38 and left approximately 20,000 people homeless; only a few of the early dwellings escaped its ravages. These days the narrow cobblestone street is flanked by a number of lovely little restaurants specializing in fish or German cuisine, which have taken residence inside its historic buildings.

Hamburg's Historischer Weihnachtsmarkt enjoys a spectacular backdrop—the city's Gothic town hall. The market's stalls are filled with rows of candy apples, chocolates, and doughnuts. Woodcarvers from Tyrol, bakers from Aachen, and gingerbread makers from Nuremberg (Nürnberg) come to sell their wares. And in an appearance arranged by the circus company Roncalli, Santa Claus ho-ho-hos his way along a tightwire high above the market every evening at 4, 6, and 8. The Hamburg Christmas market runs from late November until December 23.

Construction of this, the city's oldest building, began in 1173. Its founder, Heinrich der Löwe himself, laid the foundation stone. The cathedral was initially built as a Romanesque brick building, which was completed in 1230, but starting in 1266 its reconstruction to a Gothic hall church began. The building, which was repeatedly altered, was severely damaged in an air raid in 1942. It was not until 1982 that the reconstruction was completed. The richly decorated church houses, among other things, a triumphal cross by the Lübeck artist Bernt Notke and the Renaissance pulpit, which is decorated with seven alabaster reliefs.

The island's main town is also one of its best resorts. The tidy and elegant resort is one of the three Kaiserbäder (imperial baths)—the two others are Heringsdorf and Bansin—where Emperor Wilhelm II liked to spend his summers in the early 20th century. Noble families and rich citizens followed the emperor, turning Ahlbeck into one of the prettiest summer retreats on the Baltic Coast. Ahlbeck's landmark is the 19th-century wooden pier with four towers. Stroll the beach to the right of the pier and you'll arrive at the Polish border.

The largest resort town on Rügen's east coast has white villas and a beach promenade. Four kilometers (2½ miles) north of Binz lies the fascist resort of Prora, where the Nazis once planned to provide vacation quarters for up to 20,000 German workers. The complex was never used, except by the East German army. Redevelopment of the site began in 2003 and is nearing completion. Luxury apartments are available for rent and there is also a youth hostel. Museums and galleries here today do their best to document the history of the site.

Bad Doberan is home to this meticulously restored redbrick church, one of the finest of its kind in Germany. It was built by Cistercian monks between 1294 and 1368 in the northern German brick Gothic style, with a central nave and transept. The main altar dates from the early 14th century.

In 1821, a botanist planted a sycamore tree in a park near Dammtor train station. From this tree, a sanctuary for birds and plants evolved and a botanical garden that resembles the current park opened in 1930. This 116-acre inner-city oasis features a grand Japanese garden, a minigolf course, an outdoor roller-skating and ice-skating rink, trampolines, and water features. If you visit between May and October, you'll see the Wasserlichtkonzerte, the play of an illuminated fountain set to organ music. Make sure you get to the lake in plenty of time for the nightly show, which begins at 10 pm.

On an island near the edge of Lake Schwerin, this meticulously restored palace once housed the Mecklenburg royal family. The original palace dates from 1018 but was enlarged by Henry the Lion when he founded Schwerin in 1160. As it stands now, the palace is surmounted by 15 turrets, large and small, and is reminiscent of a French château. The portions that are neo-Renaissance in style are its many ducal staterooms, which date from between 1845 and 1857. Today, the castle is a seat of parliament. In 2024, it was, as part of the Residence Ensemble Schwerin, added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. North of the castle's main tower is the Schlossmuseum. The Communist government restored and maintained the fantastic opulence of this rambling, 80-room reminder of an absolutist monarchy—and then used it to board kindergarten teachers in training. Antique furniture, objets d'art, silk tapestries, and paintings are sprinkled throughout the salons (the throne room is particularly extravagant), but of special interest are the ornately patterned and highly burnished inlaid wooden floors and wall panels.

The town's showpiece square was the setting for military parades during the years of Communist rule. It's dominated by two buildings: the ornate neo-Renaissance state theater, constructed in 1883–86; and the Kunstsammlungen Schwerin (Schwerin Art Collection).

The Alter Markt has the best local architecture, ranging from Gothic to Renaissance to baroque. Most homes belonged to rich merchants, notably the late-Gothic Wulflamhaus, with 17 ornate, steeply stepped gables. Stralsund's architectural masterpiece, however, is the 14th-century Rathaus (town hall), considered by many to be the finest secular example of redbrick Gothic. The Rathaus is a mirror image of its counterpart in Lübeck, Stralsund's main rival in the Hanseatic League.

For a glimpse of the rugged lives of 19th-century fishermen, visit the small village of Keitum to the south, and drop in on the Old Frisian House, which preserves an old-world peacefulness in a lush garden setting. The house also documents a time when most seamen thrived on extensive whale hunting.

One of the main attractions of Kiel, this aquarium is home to various animal species, fish, and crustaceans from the North and Baltic Seas, the Mediterranean, and the tropics. Especially popular are the feedings (daily at 10 am and 2:30 pm, except Fridays) in the outdoor seal enclosure.

At the entrance to Grosse Freiheit stand life-size steel silhouettes commemorating the five original Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best, and Stuart Sutcliffe. In the summer of 1960, they played in the area while seeking fame and fortune. Although the statues are rather ordinary looking during the day, they make for a good photo op when they're lit up at night.

This small town is the island's administrative capital, founded as a Slavic settlement some 900 years ago. The Marienkirche (St. Mary's Church) has geometric murals dating back to the late 1100s and painted brick octagonal pillars. The pulpit and altar are baroque. Outside the front door and built into the church facade is a gravestone from the 1200s.

The rule of the Baltics' most exclusive beach is \"see and be seen.\" The 5-km-long (3-mile-long) and 54-yard-wide beach is the perfect place to sunbathe and swim, as well as stroll—there's a 135-year-old beach path promenade. The somewhat rocky beach is punctuated by the Seebrücke, a boardwalk that extends into the sea. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; surfing; swimming; walking.

Kampen's beach—divided into the Buhne 16 and the Rotes Kliff—is the place where the rich and famous meet average Joes. Buhne 16 is Germany's most popular nudist beach, and Germans call this section \"the great equalizer,\" as social inequalities disappear with the clothing. The Red Cliff section is less crowded than Buhne 16 and clothing is required. The beach access point offers one of the best views of the Cliffs and North Sea; the viewing platform is wheelchair accessible. The beaches are surrounded by a ring of dunes. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.

Close to the Rickmer Rickmers at Hamburg's piers sits the handsome 1960s freighter Cap San Diego, nowadays a seaworthy museum and hotel. Before it docked at Hamburg permanently, it regularly sailed between Germany and South America.

This museum and family-research center tells the story of European emigration to the United States and elsewhere. The complex on the Elbe island Veddel, completed in 1901, was built by the HAPAG shipping line for its passengers and named after Alfred Ballin, its then general director. To accommodate visitors for several days or months, BallinStadt featured a hospital, church, music hall, housing, and hotels. For approximately 5 million European emigrants, Hamburg was the \"Gateway to the World\" between 1850 and 1939. Their experience comes to life with artifacts, interactive displays, detailed reproductions of the buildings (all but one was demolished), as well as firsthand accounts of oppression in Europe, life in the \"city,\" conditions during the 60-day ocean crossing, and life in their new home. The main draw is the research booths, where you can search the complete passenger lists of all ships that left the harbor.  Research assistants are available to help locate and track your ancestors.

A pair of large market halls built in 1911–12, not far from the main train station, now house two of Germany's largest exhibitions of contemporary art and photography—one in each building. The modern, airy interiors of the Hall for Contemporary Art resemble an oversize loft space, and its changing exhibits have presented the works of such artists as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Joan Miró. You may buy tickets for a single hall or both for a surcharge.

The Stralsund aquarium of Baltic Sea life is part of this three-floor museum, which also displays the skeletons of a giant whale and a hammerhead shark, and a 25-foot-high chunk of coral.

This museum is dedicated to the time of the Hanseatic League which is considered one of the most significant chapters in Northern German and European history. It exhibits dioramas, original artifacts, and interactive elements to convey a journey through 500 years of medieval trading.

Westerland's beach bursts at the seams in the summer months. More than 6 km (4 miles) of pristine white sand is filled with more than 4,000 Strandkörbe, a kind of beach chair in a wicker basket, which are all for rent. There's also volleyball, soccer, darts, and other beach sports. Despite its popularity, it is easy to find some privacy on the many secluded bike and footpaths. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; walking; windsurfing.

The home of the former dukes of Mecklenburg stands next to the Marienkirche. It's an early-16th-century Italian Renaissance palace with touches of late Gothic. The facade is a series of fussy friezes depicting scenes from the Trojan War, and while it's impressive, you'll have to make do with the exterior; the building, which now operates as a courthouse, is not open to the public.

Before Hamburg's destruction in World War II, large parts of the Altstadt and Neustadt were dominated by tightly-packed mazes of half-timbered working-class homes called Gängeviertel (alley quarter). These quarters were almost completely destroyed with the exception of a small block smack in the middle of Hamburg's Neustadt. Surrounded by modern office buildings, this area has been a thorn on the side of developers for many years. In 2009, a group of creatives and artists took over the area and turned the Gängeviertel into a cultural center with cafés, workshops, art galleries, bars and venues running on a donation-based system.